


we'll see what forever means

by weatheredlaw



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Bigotry & Prejudice, F/M, Family Feels, Not Beta Read, Wedding Planning, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-25 19:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7544665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weatheredlaw/pseuds/weatheredlaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Judy get married the old fashioned way. At her parents' house. Surrounded by rabbits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kyjane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyjane/gifts).



> this story is actually part of a small network of stories, and they go in the following order:
> 
> 1\. [made up of our mistakes](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6673411)  
> 2\. [sift through the gold](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6192814/chapters/15960049)  
> 3\. [no other than yourself](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6192814/chapters/15112027)
> 
> aiming for four chapters. two are done. we'll see what happens. 
> 
> alternatively titled, "shit show wedding fic," for those familiar with my pain.

_I'll wait patiently for you_  
_oh I will, forever and always_  
_put you before me_  
_til the end of time_  
  
– "You Are Mine", Spencer Combs, Holly Maher

 

* * *

 

Bunnyburrow isn’t supposed to be a _stressful_ place. Nicks knows this. It’s a farming community, surrounded by rolling hills and idyllic dirt roads, hedged with wildflowers. It _smells amazing_ , like clean dirt (if that makes _sense_ , even) and wicker furniture and fruit. The Hopps house smells like all of these things and what might be cupcakes – one of Judy’s sisters has a pastry shop, somewhere, and she’s been banging out dessert after dessert for three days.

From what Nick understands, there are going to be a _lot_ of rabbits at this wedding.

They get there on a Thursday, and the whole thing is supposed to go down on Sunday. Nick knows that these things take time – he just always imagined his part would be rather downplayed. Ushered to the side, instructed to nurse a decent glass of scotch for two or three days, make small talk with the menfolk and do as he’s told.

Not really the way things work in the Hopps house.

Their train pulls in at ten AM, and by noon, Nick is traveling around town with Gideon Grey hunting down casserole dishes and silverware, promising that they’ll be returned. He doesn’t know why the only foxes currently in attendance have been asked to assure the rabbit neighbors that nothing is going to be stolen, but folks seem amicable enough. They shake Nick’s hand and tell him little stories about Judy as they dig through their cabinets or yank out lids and containers from unused lazy Susans. By the time the two return, well after three, they’ve already been assigned another task – making sure the cake is going to be there on time.

“Why isn’t Maggie doing the cake?” Nick asks between bites of lunch.

Gideon shrugs. “Tall order. It’s a big cake. Or cakes, I guess.”

“There are multiple cakes.”

The other fox looks over at him as they stop at the only red light in town. He grins. “You’re the one marrying into a rabbit family, buster. You’re gonna get the whole shebang.”

“Gramma Ruth calls it a _shindy._ ”

“Shindig,” Gideon translates. “You’ll get used to it.” He pulls his truck into a gravel parking lot in front of a place called _Frank’s Festive Feasts._ “He used to do catering, too,” Gideon explains, hauling himself out of the truck. “But there was an incident.” Nick’s feet hit the loose gravel and he sighs.

“The unspeakable kind?”

Gideon chuckles. “Nah. He ruined someone’s prom or something. Now he just does cakes. Or takes orders for cakes, anyway. His sister Delores does the baking.” He pushes open the door, the bell ringing brightly over their heads. “Hey, Frank!”

“Well, Gideon Gray!” A rabbit behind the counter sticks out his paw, shaking it briskly. “You finally come here to loan me your services? I could do ten times the business if I had your pies in my oven!”

“Nah, you know why we’re here. Frank, this is Nick. He’s gettin’ married to Judy Hopps this weekend.”

Frank’s eyes go a little wide, taking Nick in – he’s dressed down this weekend in jeans and a brown long sleeve shirt. He thought he’d come and try to blend in, but Judy’s entire family’s worn _floral_ every day, and he’s fairly certain all the adults in attendance are a little bit drunk. He sticks out among them like a brown, sober _cactus_.

“It’s good to put a face to the news. And a name I suppose. Heard our Judy’d gone into the city and done pretty well for herself. Her ma put in the order for the cakes two weeks ago. Delores is probably gettin' those done right now, but we’ll go check.” He motions for them to follow him behind the counter, pushing open the swinging doors into the kitchen and hollering, “ _Hey, Dee! How’re them Hopps cakes comin’ along?_ ”

She shouts back: “ _What Hopps cakes?_ ”

Frank sighs. “Hell, Delores, you know which ones I’m talkin’ about. The big one with the flowers, and the two little chocolate ones. Remember?”

“No one told me anything about cakes for the Hopps.” Delores is a scawny rabbit with stubby ears and a brown nose. She looks over the third tier of a cake from her perch on a foot stool and says, “Should have put the order in two months ago, like everyone else.”

“I told you it was special circumstances. It’s not every day a Hopps kid gets married.”

“Probably because they celebrate ‘em all at one time. S’what happens when you have that many kids,” Delores snaps, and goes back to piping roses.

Nick feels the fur on his neck bristle, but this isn’t his town and these aren’t his people, so he stays quiet. Besides, Gideon seems to have it under control.

“Now, Delores, you know the Hopps family, that’s not a real nice thing to say.”

Frank laughs. “Oh, she’s just messin’. We’ll probably have ‘em all done up by Sunday.”

Nick sputters. “ _Probably?_ ”

“Well, that’s a lot of cake to do,” Frank explains.

“It’s cake,” Nick says. “You make it, you bake it, you put some frosting on it.”

“Sure, but there’s an art to it,” Frank says. “It’ll be done, boys, I can promise you that.”

“Right.” Nick nods. “You just can’t figure out the day. Never mind the fact that everything’s happening Sunday, but wouldn’t it just be _swell_ for the family to have three enormous cakes delivered to their house next _Wednesday_ instead. I think that’s what everyone wants from this, isn’t it?”

Delores slams her piping bag down on the counter. “This company has an advanced ordering policy of _two months._ We do business for the entire Triburrows area, _fox._ And Bonnie Hopps damn well knows that.”

“I wasn’t the one who accepted the order. Your brother here did.”

“Because _he_ can’t say no.” Delores jumps down from her stool. “I’m real glad you’re in here to talk about this, ‘cause I’ve some things to get off my chest.”

Frank and Gideon say at once: “Delores—” but Nick raises his paw.

“No. Let her talk.”

Delores swells a little, lip curled back in a sneer. “Judy Hopps always did think she was too good for the rest of us. She went into the city because the Burrow wasn’t enough, got herself a fancy _job_ because the ones out weren’t _good enough_ , and now she’s gonna marry some slick-bellied city fox because the ones _out here_ just aren’t good enough, considering she’s got the taste for ‘em. That entire family’s always thought they were too good for the rest of us. Has thought that way for years.”

There’s a long pause before Nick says quietly, “You done?”

“Oh, I’m done.”

“Good. And so are we. We’re just going to cancel this order.”

Gideon grabs Nick’s shoulder. “Now wait just a—”

“Frank, did Bonnie Hopps put down a deposit?” Nick’s moving out of the kitchen, back to the front of the store and leaning against the counter. Frank reluctantly nods, says Bonnie put down a hundred dollars and was going to pay for the rest come Sunday. “Great. You keep the deposit, because I’m very sorry you’re stuck being related to whatever is happening back there. Hopefully we can try this again someday.”

And with that, Nick slides his sunglasses over his face and pushes the door open, stepping into the light of the afternoon.

He regrets all of what he’s done _immediately._

“Uh, that went…alright,” Gideon says, starting up the truck. “Everyone’ll be pretty mad about not havin’ cake though.”

“They’re going to have cake.”

Gideon looks over at him as they pull onto the road. “You got an idea?”

“I do.”

The other fox sighs. “It better be a good one.”

“It’s not, but it’ll do.” Nick leans his elbow out of the window. “You heard what she said,” he adds.

“Yeah…yeah, I heard.”

Nick looks out onto the passing landscape. “For my whole life it was just me and my mom. Judy’s family is the first time I’ve ever gotten to have brothers and sisters, aunt and uncles.” He shrugs. “I don’t know. I just don’t want any of that woman’s garbage coming anywhere near my family.”

They go around a pothole and Gideon says, “That’s real good of you, Nick.”

“Yeah, well, it better count for something when I show up and tell them we still don’t have cake.”

 

* * *

 

“ _You did what?_ ”

To his credit, Nick had no idea his wife’s voice could go that high, and he’s trying his best not the alarm the rest of the family, but they’re all coming ‘round to see what’s going on.

“Judy, please—”

“Nick, this is happening on _Sunday._ Today is _over._ You need to go back and get the cake.”

“She’s not going to make it.”

“ _Who_ is _she?_ ”

“Oh gosh.” Bonnie comes into the living room, her face in her hands. “Oh, it’s that terrible woman, is it?”

“Frank’s sister, Delores,” Gideon explains. “She and Nick, uh, had words.”

“What did you say to her?” Judy demands.

“Actually, nothing.” Nick leans against the wall and shrugs. “She insulted me, I let it go. But she insulted you and your family. Wasn’t going to let it slide.”

Bonnie sighs. “Nick, honey, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes I did.”

“It was real bad, Mrs. H,” Gideon chimes in.

“Fine!” Judy throws her paws in the air. “Fine. So there’s no cake. Gideon’s bringing twenty pies. We’ll just feed the literally _hundreds_ of rabbits that are going to be here with those. And some dry potatoes, because I bet that’s how the catering is going to work out, too! Really just give it our all. Oh! And I would just like to _remind everyone here_ that Nick and I _are already married!_ ” She starts toward the front door. “If _anyone_ needs me, think about what you want to ask _really_ hard first.” The front door slams, rattling a photo of all the twins on the wall.

Gideon whistles. “I think I best be gettin’ home.”

“Thanks for your help,” Nick says.

“Hey, anything for you folks.” Gideon tips his head and goes out to his truck. Nick waits until he’s pulled down the driveway and onto the road before starting after Judy.

“Nick, honey—”

“She can brood later. It’s…probably not about the cake,” he adds.

Bonnie nods. “It never is. Bring her some dinner, she’s let it get cold.” She grabs Judy’s plate from the kitchen and presses it into Nick’s paws.

 

* * *

 

He finds her in the shed, perched on the front end of her dad’s tractor, peeling yellow paint from the hood.

“I don’t want to talk to you, Nicholas.”

“Your mom wants you to eat dinner.”

“ _Ugh._ ” She turns to him. “I asked you to do one thing today.”

He shrugs. “It got out of hand. I wasn’t going to let it slide.”

“Nick, you are _not_ our defender, okay? This family’s been taking care of itself for years now. Just because some nasty woman was going to make a crappy cake because she _hates_ me—”

“How do you know she hates you?”

Judy sighs. “Delores and I went to high school together. We were never friends. I _told_ my mother that, but…” She finally hops down from the tractor. “I appreciate what you did today. It’s…sweet, I guess.”

Nick sets the plate on the roof of the tractor, puts his paws on her shoulders, and draws her in for a kiss. It’s a good kiss, by all standards. Judy slumps into it, gripping his shirt in her fingers, sighing into his mouth. “…Nick.”

“I love you. And I love your family. No one is going to say or do anything to hurt you or them. They’re…they’re my family, too.”

Judy tips her head to the side, as if really seeing him for the first time that evening. “Oh, _Nick._ ”

“I’m sorry I screwed this up. I know it was brash and it was…not that smart. I get it. But I do have a plan.”

She raises a brow. “Do you mind clueing me in?”

“Tomorrow,” he says, trying to sound reassuring. He looks over his shoulder. “Do we have to go back?”

“ _Yes_ , Nick, we can stay here and make out.”

He grins at her. “ _Perfect._ ”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i make a cameo as an otter.

Judy’s already been awake for three hours by the time Nick apparently realizes she’s left their little guest room. She’s thrown in her abysmal baking talents with Maggie, who’s been trying to talk her out of the kitchen for the last forty-five minutes. Apparently baking alone is preferable to having Judy touch anything at all. Nick is her excuse.

“You smell like almond extract,” he murmurs, pulling her away and kissing her cheek. “Why are you awake?”

“I have six hundred things to do today, not to mention there’s _something_ you promised to tell me last night.” Judy dries her hands on a dishtowel and wraps it around his neck, pulling him down. “Remember?”

“I promised you a _lot_ of things last night.”

She sighs. “Nick.”

“Right, right.” He reaches into his pocket, checks something, and kisses her again. “My mom is coming today.”

Judy _flinches._ “What?!”

Bonnie sticks her head out of the kitchen. “That was loud. Is everything alright? You kids okay?”

“ _We’re fine_ ,” Judy says, a little too shrilly. “Nicholas, _outside._ ” She pulls him through the house, across the yard and back to the shed. “What are you _talking about?_ ”

“Okay, this is confusing. You _love_ my mom.”

“Yes! I do! But she’s never met my parents before and I was sort of hoping she’d get here _after_ everything stopped being a complete and total mess and she could be really impressed with how well my family did putting this last-minute _shotgun_ wedding together.”

Nick sighs. “First off, I have been to multiple shotgun weddings, including ones with actual shotguns, and this is not one. Second, my mother now owns the diner she’s worked out for umpteen years. The one she’s cooked at and baked in and _basically_ been owning since I was a kid? Chaos is her thing. She will come here and be so freaking _zen_ your entire family’s going to fall asleep.” He folds his arms over his chest. “She’s coming here to help with the cake, alright? I screwed that up, so I fixed it.”

Judy blinks. “You…you asked her to come and help Maggie with the cake?” The night before, Maggie had quietly approached Judy before bed and told her that making the cakes would be no big deal, she could handle it, seriously it would be fine – she didn’t make eye contact with her older sister for the duration of the conversation, though, so Judy’d had her doubts.

“I should have asked you, I know, but – _mmph!_ ” He catches her as she throws herself at him, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her tight. After a moment he says, “I take it you’re pleased, Mrs. Wilde?”

“Yes, Mr. Wilde. I am.” She presses her forehead to his, still lifted, still held close. “I love you.”

“Told you I’d fix it.”

“I’m sorry for doubting you. Put me down now, please.”

“Nope. I bet we could get some serious work done in this tractor.”

Judy wriggles free. “We don’t have time. When’s your mom getting here?”

“I was going to ask Oscar to take me into town, her train pulls in at eleven.”

Judy checks her phone. “It’s ten-thirty, Nick, and I have to be in town by eleven-thirty to try on my dress. My mom and I will just get her, she…can come with us.”

Nick whistles. “You sure?”

Judy shrugs. “Go big or go home.”

 

* * *

 

Her mother straightens her shirt for the eleventh time.

“Mom. Stop.”

“I’m just so _nervous._ ”

“It’s just Nick’s mom, she’s really nice.”

Bonnie nods. “I know, I know. I just…well you know. All your brothers and sisters married rabbits. Meeting other rabbits is easy, I never felt like I had to impress _them._ ”

Judy laughs. “You really don’t have to worry. Marian’s going to love you.”

“Marian. Marian. Her name is Marian. Is she married? What’s going on there?”

Judy shakes her head. “Her husband died before Nick was born. I guess right before. He doesn’t talk much about it. She…only mentioned it to me once. She’s pretty young, considering.”

“So don’t ask.”

“Probably shouldn’t.”

Bonnie nods. “I’ll be sure to tell your father. He hasn’t had a filter all—” She waves her paw. “Oh, here comes the train. Okay, _okay._ Do we look alright? This station could stand to be cleaner, I’m sure in the city they’re spotless—”

“ _Mom._ ”

“Right.” Her mother finally stops _vibrating_ and the train pulls in. Judy admits, only to herself, that she’s more than a little nervous, too. A lot of her extended family doesn’t even know how friendly the Hopps are with _Gideon_ , let alone that there are going to be three foxes at her wedding, one of whom she’s _marrying._ She almost straightens her own blouse, but thinks better of it. Marian Wilde is good and kind and patient – had to be, raising Nick – and she will fit in just fine.

Judy spots the fox stepping onto the platform in front of them, two suitcases in hand, peering about. “Mrs. Wilde!” She jumps and waves a paw, and Nick’s mother sees her, smiles, and wades through the crowd.

“ _Judy!_ Oh, it’s so good to see you, I’m so glad you two asked me to come sooner, I was about to try and politely impose anyway. I know there’s a few B ‘n B’s around here, but Nicky said _absolutely_ _not_ —” She stops, realizing she’s been talking without even acknowledging Judy’s own mother. She sets down her bags. “ _You_ must be Bonnie.”

“That’s me.”

A moment passes between them – Judy suspected it would. They’re huggers by nature, both of them, and they seem to be weighing the pros and cons until both appear to give in and grab one another.

“I am just _so glad_ you’re here, we’ve got a room for you, it’s no problem—”

“Nicky just thinks the world of your whole family, I’m just honored to get to be here—”

“Well of course you’re here, we couldn’t have the kids get hitched without you—”

“I mean when I found out about the court house shenanigans—”

“ _Don’t_ get me started—”

Judy wedges herself between them. “ _Okay!_ No worries, there will be _plenty_ of time for collective complaining about your children’s mistakes later. Right now, we have a dress to try on.”

“A dress?” Mrs. Wilde frowns. “Oh, I thought I was making a _cake_.”

“You are, yes. But my mom picked out a dress a few weeks ago and we need to see if it fits.”

“You could just drop me off at the house, really—”

“No.” Bonnie takes both her bags. “You’ll come with us. You’re family, now. The only reason some of Judy’s sisters aren’t here is because they’re getting here Sunday. Besides, it’s a _lovely_ dress. Judy’s going to absolutely love it.”

 

* * *

 

Judy does not absolutely love it.

The shoulders are excessively…poofy, and the bottom makes her look a little bit like a cupcake. The otter helping her get into it realizes her discomfort immediately, and tries to look sympathetic.

“We have…other styles…”

“My mother picked this out.”

The girl smiles. “No offense, but…your mother’s not the one getting married.”

Judy nods. “Let’s just show it to her.”

She walks out of the fitting room and both her mother and Nick’s stop talking and stare.

Marian sighs. “You look so beautiful.”

“It’s a very pretty dress,” Judy agrees.

Her mother makes a noise. “You hate it.”

“ _Mom._ I didn’t say that.”

Bonnie shakes her head. “I can tell, I can see it in your face. You can’t stand it.” She goes to her, inspecting the sleeves. “Abby got married in something like this, remember?”

Judy nods. “She looked wonderful.”

“You’re not Abby. That was the mistake I made.” Bonnie sighs, touching the shoulders. “I think something a bit more…summery, for you. No sleeves.”

“A little shorter, too,” Marian says, and Bonnie nods.

“Something simple. And no veil. I don’t think that’s really necessary.”

The little otter who helped Judy into the dress raises her paw. “I…think I have something you’d like, ma’am. Two seconds, I’ll be back!” She dashes off between the rows of dresses, shuffling through some of the hangars and coming back with a long white bag. “Maybe you’ll like this.” They go back into the fitting room and the girl helps Judy out of the puffy monstrosity. “I don’t mean to intrude.”

“Anything to get this thing off of my body,” Judy mutters, wondering why she ever thought agreeing to this _entire weekend_ was a good idea. The other dress is lighter than the first, far less fabric, and definitely not as restrictive. The second it’s zipped and buttoned over her back and she sees herself in the mirror, she knows – this is the one.

The otter gasps. “Oh. _Oh_ , you look _lovely_.”

“I…” Judy turns, inspecting her profile. “It’s beautiful.”

She’s obviously spending too long behind the curtain because her mother and Nick’s barrel through, and stop just feet away from her, staring.

“Oh, _Judy._ ” Bonnie is the first to speak, and she takes a shaky breath. “Judy, it’s perfect. You look wonderful.”

“Oh, gosh.” Marian takes a tissue from her purse. “I said I’d wait to cry on Sunday, I _said_ I’d _wait._ Don’t tell Nick, he’ll never stop teasing.”

 

* * *

 

They pay for the dress and pack it into the truck. The yard is empty  when they get back, but Judy spots Nick coming toward them, sporting a rather hefty bandage on his left paw.

Judy blinks. “What happened to you?”

“I was helping put up a tent. I’m…not very good at it.” He winces as she takes his paw in her own, tightening the bandage. “It’s just a cut.”

“Dumb fox.”

He smiles down at her, and for a moment it is only the two of them, for the first time in days. Judy is suddenly homesick for their little apartment, their big wide bed, their perfectly sized kitchen and quiet Sunday mornings together. Nick opens his mouth to say something, and stops.

“Mom.”

And Judy will always love the way his face changes when he sees her. The tiny shift in his jaw muscles, the way everything goes just a little slack, letting her take him in and hold him against her chest. He’s an entire head taller than her, but he still somehow manages to look small in her embrace.

“Hi, baby.” She kisses the top of his head. “Your girl’s going to look beautiful on Sunday.”

“She looks beautiful every day. Did you get the dress? Lemme see.”

Bonnie swats his paws away from the bag. “That’s bad luck, Nick.”

“ _Ugh_ , fine.” He takes both his mother’s bags and heads toward the house. “You women and your superstitions. You know there’s nothing _blue_ at this wedding yet, right?” he calls over his shoulder before disappearing inside.

Bonnie swears. “ _Shoot_ , he’s right. Maybe I’ll call the florist—”

Judy goes to her mother, gently gripping her elbows. “Mom. No more changes. Everything is fine. I will find something blue. The world is not going to fall apart.”

“Honey, it’s tradition.”

“And _I_ will take care of it. Why don’t you introduce Mrs. Wilde and Maggie?”

Her mother nods. “And what about you?”

“I’m…going to go hang up my dress.”

 _And get five minutes to myself_ goes unspoken.

 

* * *

 

And, suddenly – Friday is gone. Judy sits on the edge of their little guest bed, zoning out as she pulls a t-shirt over her head. She can hear Nick coming up the stairs, laughing with one of her brothers. She’s glad that he’s felt at home, at least. Glad that her family has opened their arms to him. They part at the top of the stairs, and Nick is coming through the door, smiling and waving over his shoulder and then –

He looks at her, and the entire day falls away. The door snaps shut, and he is on her, on the bed, kissing her cheeks and her neck and her shoulders, his paws sliding up her sides, t-shirt pooling at his wrists. Judy tugs at one of his hears, tries to focus his attention on her mouth, on her eyes. He breaths, heavy and thick with want, and she holds him.

“I see your injury has healed,” she murmurs, raising his paw to her mouth and kissing it.

“Nothing serious, ma’am.” He lifts his head and smiles. “Just a necessary blood sacrifice for the union of two souls.”

“Shut up,” she murmurs, and holds him closer.

Nick pushes himself up, looking down at her. “You know I’m glad to be here, right?” Judy nods. “Okay. I need a shower something _awful_.”

“Mmm, you’re fine.” She yanks him down again.

“Judith.”

“You’re _fine_ ,” she insists, and turns him over, trapping him beneath her. “I’ve had to share you all day.” He sighs as she kisses him, effectively surrendering himself. “And now you’re stuck here with me.”

“A tragedy,” he mumbles.

“Terribly sad,” she agrees, and turns out the lamp, shrouding them in darkness for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @ weatheredlaw
> 
> as always my work remains unbeta'd by anyone but myself, and i am not currently looking for one. all errors are my own and caught and corrected in time by yours truly.


End file.
